OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 169, 10 April 1908, Page 8

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

PUNISHMENT FOR DRUNKENNESS. ' SEVERE CRITICISMS. f (ni TELEGRArn.—SPECIAL COEBESrONDENT.) Auckland, April 9. .An interesting discussion 011 tho question of olel ago pensioners being deprived of their pensions for five years when guilty of drunkenness took placo at tho mooting of the' Liberal and Labour Federation last night. - " Tho Hon. W. Beelian, M.L.C., moved: — "That the Auckland branch of the Libpral and Labour Federation of New Zealand urges upon tho Government tho desirability of amending the Old Age Pensions Act in the direction of making . the penalty for a first oft'enco of drunk--enness tho withdrawal of tho pension for a period not exceeding six months; for the second oifcnce, the withdrawal of' tho pension for a period not exceeding ■' two years, and for a third offence tho ■ cancellation of the pension ifor a period of five years; and that tho secretary be instructed to forward a copy of--tho .above resolution to the Hon. the ■ Prime Minister and his colleagues in the Ministry." . Tho mover pointed out that whero a pensioner at tho present might succumb to a single glass of beer, ho was subject' to tho cancellation of his pension for five years. .Such a penalty, the speaker considered, was most outlandish. ; -It meant a forfeiture of £130 for the ono' offence to the pensioner. (CrioS of "Shame!") More than that, it meant, ■ iij most cases, that tho unfortunate victims were deprived of their pensions for life 1 , as many of them did not survive tho five years. ; Were the inmates of the Costloy Home, he added, penalised to the same oxtent.for similar, lapses. No" they were not.' Tho authorities there wore more humane. He described that portion of the 'Act/which provides for . such a punishment for delinquent pensioners as infamous, and a blot 011 tho Statute Book. . It should be wiped off -at once. As an instance of the injustice sometimes inflicted, Mr. Beelian quoted the case of a pensioner .who had had his pension, cancelled for 110 other reason than that-he) hael an order against him, order he had taken out himself. . , Another, speaker stated/that the Magistrate, had discretionary power, up to the third conviction. Mr. T. Gresham considered that no man shoidd be-punished for. an offence ; twice, as was ..the case ,in tho instances under, eliscussion. Mr. T. Harle Gilejs said lie . was informed' .the -Magistrate had' no discretionary power as had been stated. Other,;speakers' declared that if Magistrates viad discretionary power they did not use, it. - "; , • , Complaint was also made that applicants for pensions were unnecessarily harassed iii proving their ago and length of residence in tho Dominion. . , ■'.✓Mr. Giles then moved, as an amendment: " That, in the opinion of this meotine. : the Old-Ago Pension Act eloes not fulfil •' the functions for which it was originally intended, and that: the wholo question of \ : its weaknesses be referred to the Council 'for consideration and roport to next ', ' / meeting." '■ Mr. Beehan' withdraw his resolution, and tho amendment was carried.